Charmed Another Side, Another Story II
by Yusho MinChao
Summary: A sequel. The Charmed Ones learn terrible fates await them. In response, they head to the future to gain answers to prevent their end. For Good or For Evil.
1. Part 1

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 1)

Piper and Leo lay in her bed. She rises up on her elbow. "I'm glad you got the night off.

Leo rises up on his elbow. "Me too. Really though, you still kept me pretty busy."

Piper feigns offense and pushes Leo back on the bed. He laughs.

Leo hears a call.

"What is it?" Piper asks.

"One of my charges," Leo says. "Got to go."

"What about breakfast?" Piper asks. "What about your clothes?"

"Next time," Leo says. He kisses her and gets out of bed to put on his clothes.

"This is always going to be a thing between us," Piper says.

"Probably not always," Leo says, fully dressed. He smiles at her and orbs out.

Piper falls back on her bed and sighs. She sits back against her headboard. "I better find a way to open my restaurant then. Since, it's probably the only part of my life that will ever be normal." She smiles, a short smile, and shakes her head.

Opening Credits Roll

Prue – Shannen Doherty

Piper – Holly Marie Combs

Phoebe – And Alyssa Milano

Darryl – Dorian Gregory

Graham – Will Dorsey

Whitney – Nadia Vixamar

Theme Song: How Soon Is Now by Love Spit Love

Phoebe and Prue sit at the kitchen table. They talk. Piper walks into the kitchen. They stop talking.

"What were you two talking about?" Piper asks. They look suspicious.

"We've got a surprise for you," Phoebe says.

"We went and got you the loan," Prue says, "using the house." She stands and hands Piper an envelope. "As long you don't mind being in business with your sisters,"

"You're good to go," Phoebe finishes Prue's sentence. She stands and hugs on Piper. "You're getting your restaurant."

Piper is speechless. She glances at both of them. "Thanks you guys." She gets a look on her face, expressing apprehension. "I want to do this, but can I? I mean, seven Warlocks are in our future."

"We're not going to stop living our lives," Prue says. "Being a Witch is a part of us, but it's not supposed to dictate every aspect of our lives."

"Maybe it is," Piper says. "Feels like it does."

"Don't worry about that," Phoebe says. "I've got a plan."

"Uh oh," Prue says. "What kind of plan?"

"All the hair on the back of my neck just stood up," Piper says.

"Ew," Phoebe says. "But no. Prue inspired me. My power is passive only because I don't put in the work to practice."

"You tried before," Prue reminds her.

"Remember your stint as a hotel psychic?" Piper asks. "No more personal gain consequences. We've learned our lesson."

"I know," Phoebe says. "This is something different. When I get back from the Soup Kitchen, I'm going to meet with Whitney. I'm going to try and get a Premonition off her to see if I can foresee a future threat."

"Good idea," Prue says impressed.

"No," Piper says. "Bad idea. You guys, we've been Demon, Warlock, Evil free for a week. Let's not stir up anything."

"I hear you Piper," Prue says, "but if we can eliminate the threat now we'll be safer in the long run."

Piper frowns. Prue made a good point, however, Piper still doesn't want to disrupt the peace they've had the good fortune to have.

"You've been working on plans for that building and your restaurant for the past week, past month, longer than that," Phoebe says. "Go upstairs and get to work. Prue's going to go see about her new job."

"You decided to go?" Piper asks.

"Yeah," Prue says. "I'm going to at least see what they're offering before I turn them down. Can't really travel internationally."

"Hear what Alexis has to say," Piper advises. "Then decide. Being a Witch is a part of us, but,"

Prue gives her a look and smiles. "I got it."

"I'm off to the Soup Kitchen," Phoebe says. "I'll see you guys later."

Phoebe leaves.

Piper looks at Prue. "I want to hold onto some kind of normal life." She says seriously.

"I understand," Prue says. "But after everything we've been through and seen, normal left the station a long time ago."

"Which only means to me I'm going to fight like hell to keep up with it," Piper says.

"I'll help," Prue says.

~!~

Phoebe drops her bike off in her yard and heads over to Whitney and Graham's house. Graham's truck is gone, but Phoebe is sure Whitney is there. Whitney joined a book club and an intramural soccer team. Phoebe planned to ask her if she wanted to help out at the Soup Kitchen, but she did that in memory of Andy. It was something she wanted to do for him and herself.

Phoebe knocks on her door. Whitney opens it.

"Right on time," Whitney says.

"Thanks for doing this," Phoebe says. Whitney gestures for her to come inside. Phoebe does. Whitney closes the door behind her.

"Least I could do," Whitney says. "It benefits your family and mine."

Phoebe sits on the couch, and Whitney sits beside her.

"I don't even know if anything will happen," Phoebe says. "But because of you, I know it's possible for me to gain control. I want to practice until I do. Anything we can find out will be a bonus."

"You don't have to explain," Whitney says. Whitney holds out her hand for Phoebe to take. "Our siblings mean a lot to us. Feeling powerless weighs you down. It's the reason I contacted the Elders. It's the reason you're here. We're being proactive." Phoebe nods in agreement.

Phoebe takes Whitney's hand in her hands, and she closes her eyes and concentrates. She has never been able to control her Premonitions because she never understood how they worked, how her visions came to her. From all the visions she's had, she came to a conclusion. Narrow the focus. Ask a specific question. Try to see the answer.

Phoebe has a question, but she believes it might be too broad. After taking a deep breath, she asks it anyway: What lies ahead?

Nothing happens. Too broad.

What lies ahead for Whitney, Graham, me and my sisters?

Nothing happens. Too many people involved.

This one: What lies ahead for Whitney?

Phoebe sees images. She pulls them forward. She sees her Premonition.

- Phoebe sees Prue. She leans against a wall in the corner of a small white room. In it, there is a lone window, twin-sized bed, and rocking chair. A newspaper with the date March 13, 2009 lies on the chair's seat. She is dressed in white. She gazes at the floor.

Phoebe sees herself. She sits on a throne in a dimly lit cavern. A torch casts its light on either side of her. She is dressed in an elegant black dress. A mask hides her face, except for a devious smile.

And finally, Phoebe sees. Piper. She stands upon a metal stake. Tears stream down her face. They are tears of pain, anger, and sadness. She is dressed in a gray prisoner uniform. Flames rise up and engulf her. Piper cries, screams out in agony. -

Phoebe gasps. She breathes heavily.

"Phoebe," Whitney calls to her. She holds onto Phoebe's hands. "Are you okay? What did you see?"

"A bleak future," Phoebe manages to say. She looks as if she might cry. "For me and my sisters."


	2. Part 2

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 2)

Prue sits in a waiting room. Alexis Liu returns. Prue stands.

"Please Ms. Halliwell," Alexis says. "Follow me."

Prue follows Alexis into an office where a man, who appears a few years older than her, stands at his window, looking out over the city. His left hand holds his right elbow while his right hand strokes his beard.

"Mr. Vespucci," Alexis tries to get his attention. He turns around. "Ms. Prue Halliwell. Ms. Halliwell, Mr. Enzo Vespucci."

Prue steps forwards and extends a hand. He stands taller than Prue. He has a stocky body. He has a moustache and goatee to go along with his beard. Medium-length dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, sharp and alert, and olive skin make out the rest of him. They shake hands.

"Crystal Landings," Prue says. "A company started a few years ago by Enzo Vespucci. It collects art from all over the world, and instead of donating it to a museum sells it to whoever is willing to pay the most. What do you need with me?"

"Reading up on me and my company," Enzo says. "I'd expect nothing less from you Ms. Halliwell." He has a moderate accent.

"I did some light reading," Prue says. "Unfortunately, finding information on you proved a difficult task."

"Unfortunately?" Enzo repeats. He smiles. "Nothing to find. My father raised me to be a decent man."

"Only decent?" Prue says.

"He strove for better," Enzo replies, "but alas, I would not allow it."

Prue smiles and shakes her head.

"As to why I need you," Enzo says, "didn't Ms. Liu explain the position I wish for you to fill?"

"I didn't sir," Alexis says. "She called to set up an appointment. I assumed you wanted to speak with her personally. She had reservations. I gave her a tour of our facilities, showed her a number of our clientele, and told her several places overseas where we're stationed." She pauses and whispers, but Prue hears her. "I figured you could close her."

"I'll take it from here," Enzo says.

Alexis nods and leaves the room.

"Everything is top-notch," Prue says. "You have an excellent facility." She corrects herself. "Excellent facilities. You have a team of well-educated people, in your offices and in the field. I can't travel because I have to stay close to my family, for personal reasons. Honestly, Mr. Vespucci, I don't think I can help you."

"That's where you're wrong," Enzo says.

"Hmmm," Prue says. "Not many people tell me that."

"Me either," Enzo says. "The reason my business is as successful as it is...I pride myself on authenticity. Genuine people, business practices, and merchandise."

"Timeless and priceless pieces," Prue corrects him.

Enzo nods. "If anything fake were to get past us, it could ruin my reputation. This company is built on trust. I'm making some moves, looking to expand and serve a new clientele. They say you're the best, and I want the best."

"And you always get what you want," Prue replies.

"No," Enzo says seriously, "I always get what I need. Travel isn't 100 percent necessary. We believe in family here at Crystal Landings. If you choose to join us, our family, you'll see the most magnificent pieces you could never have imagined you'd lay eyes on. Instead of pieces worth thousands, you'll encounter works worth millions, billions. And once in a while, you might want to travel, a working vacation if you will."

"If you spoke with my previous boss," Prue says, "I'm sure she told you of my family emergencies."

"As long as you get your work done by each deadline that is set," Enzo says, "I don't care if I ever see you."

"Sounds too good to be true," Prue says, but she admits to herself it sounds good.

"You'd be surprised how many times I've heard those words," Enzo says.

"Can I give you my answer tomorrow?" Prue asks abruptly. She sees her question has surprised him a bit.

"Tomorrow?" Enzo says. "Sounds as if you've already reached a decision."

Prue extends her hand again. The two of them shake hands. "Until tomorrow, Mr. Vespucci."

"I do hope to have you join our team Ms. Halliwell," Enzo says.

Prue leaves the office, thinking on the tour, the pieces she managed to see, and the clientele Crystal Landings serves. She wants the job, but a thought weighs heavily on her mind: Is it possible for her to get wrapped up in a time-consuming job, right now? Actually, that isn't the thought that weighs on her mind. She remembers what she told Piper earlier.

One of them has to focus on their Wiccan duties. It isn't that she doesn't trust Phoebe. She just doesn't want to put the burden on her.

~!~

Piper hadn't gotten inside the house good, after returning from meeting with a contractor, when Prue came into the house. Piper sits on the living room couch, thinking of all the work she has to do, which she wants to think about, to block out all her Wiccan worries.

Before Prue walks past the living room, Piper notices her with her in-deep-thought expression on her face.

"You want the job," Piper says.

Prue stops, sees her sister, and leans against the doorframe before crossing her arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Yes you do," Piper replies. "You just want to wait on Phoebe to hold a family meeting."

"Remember when we didn't have family meetings," Prue says, "especially for something so simple as a job offer."

"Our lives our different now," Piper says. "We're connected. More now than we ever were. I think it's the best thing to happen out of all this."

"You don't fool me," Prue says. "You don't have to play mediator anymore. That's the best thing to happen for you."

"That too," Piper says. They share a laugh, but Prue agrees with Piper's sentiment.

~!~

"I'm sorry," Phoebe says. "I got to go." She stands to leave, heads for the door, and when she reaches it opens it.

"No," Whitney says. "You have no reason to apologize. I understand. You need to talk to your sisters. I just have one question. Did what you see involve me?"

Phoebe turns to face Whitney. Phoebe can't decide what to tell her, the truth or a lie. White lie. "Honestly, I don't know."

She leaves the house, closing the door behind her and thinking she doesn't know. Seeing how she got the Premonition off Whitney and she asked her question about Whitney, Phoebe can't believe her Premonition doesn't involve Whitney.

Somehow, Whitney would lead to terrible fates for the three of them, or, Phoebe thinks, this would be their outcome if they failed to protect her.

Phoebe bursts through the manor door and shuts it behind her before she leans against it. She takes a deep breath. Before she can call for her sisters, she sees them, Piper on the couch, Prue leaning on the doorframe leading into the living room.

They see her, concern on their faces.

Phoebe walks toward them and stops. "To the attic." She continues through the sitting room and up the stairs. Prue and Piper glance at each other before they follow.

"What's up?" Prue asks.

"If she's headed for the attic," Piper says, "I'd say it's time to attend to our Wiccan duties."

Phoebe slows down to explain herself. "I managed to call a Premonition. Yay, except no because I saw our future. I called a Premonition from Whitney. I don't know for sure but something happens. Something happens in the next 10 years that lands Prue in an asylum, me in the Underworld, and you Piper..." Phoebe stops and turns around to face her. She has a saddened look on her face. "You burn at the stake."

~!~

Leo orbs into the attic. He turns the pages in the book until he reaches two blank pages. Upon reaching the blank pages, the attic door opens. He orbs out.

~!~

Phoebe turns around and enters the attic. She can't think about it, or it might make her cry. She doesn't understand it. She can't even explain it. She doesn't have the details. They have to find out why Piper ends up on that metal stake and prevent it from happening.

Piper stares at Phoebe. She stares at the wall after Phoebe goes into the attic.

"What did she say?" Piper asks, no one in particular. "Prue?"

Prue ignores what Phoebe said. She turns to face Piper and looks her in the eye and grabs a hold of her. "I'd never let that happen to you." She pulls Piper along with her into the attic. "Phoebe, why are we headed into the attic?"

Phoebe goes and stands in front of the book. Her sisters join her.

"I'm hoping to find a magical solution," Phoebe says. "One that will prevent all that stuff from happening, or at least tell us why they happen."

"So we can stop it from happening," Prue says seriously. She and Phoebe look to Piper, who looks like she wants to curl up in her bed and sleep for the next 10 years.

"So we can stop it from happening," Phoebe repeats.

The three of them look down on the blank pages and writing appears on them.

"Grams," Prue says.

"Or another relative," Phoebe suggests.

Prue looks at her.

"Mom?" Piper questions.

"I always wondered how the book has exactly what we need when we need it," Phoebe says. "Our ancestors wrote a lot of stuff down, but sometimes, I think they give us more. Melinda..."

"Brianna," Prue says

"Grams," Phoebe says.

"Mom," Piper says.

"To name a few," Phoebe says with a nod. "That's my theory."

"Our ancestors are connected to the book," Prue says. "They're still connected to it, helping future generations."

Piper reads what the writing has left behind. "It's two spells, one to go to the future and one to return to the past, To Move Ahead in Time and To Go Back in Time. The book wants us to go to the future."

"That's what we'll do," Prue says.

"I have a date," Phoebe says. The spell requires a piece of paper, to write the date and year on, and they must ignite it as they recite the spell. "We'll go a week or two before the date I saw in my vision."

"To prevent Piper's death and find out what happened to us," Prue says.

"Love that idea," Piper says. "We'll start with Whitney, future Whitney."

Prue carries the book to the small attic table. Phoebe grabs a slip of paper and pen to write the date two weeks before March 13, 2009. She grabs the lighter and sets the paper on fire over the familiar small pot. She drops it inside.

They recite the spell together.

To Move Ahead in Time

Hear these words. Hear the rhyme.

To help us gain peace of mind.

Send us forward through space and time.

To learn the truth we must find.


	3. Part 3

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 3)

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe disappear in swirling light.

~!~

Prue opens her eyes. She lifts her head. She finds herself in a small white room. It has a bed, a window, and a rocking chair. She stands in the corner of the room from where she sat. She sees a newspaper in the rocking chair, hanging off the edge about to fall to the floor. She walks over to the chair, picks it up and makes out the date that caught her eye: March 13, 2009. The spell brought them to the wrong day. According to the paper, Piper Halliwell burns tonight.

Phoebe opens her eyes. She rises up from a king-sized bed. She looks around a spacious, luxuriously decorated room. A maid pulls back the curtains to let in the sunlight. A servant sets a tray of pancakes, eggs, and bacon in front of her. A 50-inch flat screen TV emerges from the wall across from the bed. It comes on, playing the morning news. It's muted. She reads the day's date, March 13, 2009, and about the impending execution of the Witch, Piper Halliwell.

Piper opens her eyes. Darkness. A sliver of light comes from underneath the cast iron door. A straitjacket confines her arms. A dirty mattress occupies the middle of the floor. She kneels on top of it. She can't breathe.

"Prue," she whispers, on the verge of tears. "Phoebe."

Piper closes her eyes and cries.

~!~

Darryl walks the hall with one of the C.N.A.s, Certified Nurse Assistants. Her nametag reads Cali. He holds the hand of a seven-year-old boy.

An older Darryl has his hair cut low, and he sports a neat moustache and goatee. He has a thicker build these days.

"How is she?" Darryl asks the C.N.A.

"She was doing better," Cali says, "until somehow, she learned of Piper's execution..." She trails off, noticing the little boy hanging on her every word.

They reach the door. Cali opens it and ushers them inside.

"Ms. Halliwell," Cali says, "you have visitors."

Prue has long wavy black hair, streaked with blonde highlights, in a ponytail resting over her left shoulder.

Cali expresses surprise. She's not used to Prue reading a newspaper, let alone standing. She goes and takes the newspaper from her. "How did you get this?" She demands to know. "You are a Witch, aren't you?"

"No," Darryl says, grabbing Cali's attention, "she's not. She's been cleared. Before you throw around accusations, in front of her son no less, why don't you question the rest of your staff?"

Cali looks upon the little boy, who looks at her and smiles, before returning her attention to Darryl. "Sorry, Mr. Morris. I'll leave you two to your visit." Cali leaves the room and shuts the door behind her.

"Darryl," Prue says. Her eyes rest on the little boy before she gives Darryl her attention. "I have a son?"

"Mommy," the little boy says, "you forgot about me?"

Prue rests her eyes on him again. She feels bad after hearing the tone in his voice. He looks familiar: the shape of his face, the mix of black and dark brown hair, his clear bluish-green eyes, and the ears. His ears are a dead giveaway. Could he be-

"Yes," Darryl says, answering her question, "you have a son." He bends down to answer the boy. "No Warren. Mommy didn't forget you. She's tired. Remember, it's still early. Who you are slipped her mind for moment."

He giggles. "She hasn't had her coffee yet." He giggles again.

Too much to process, Prue thinks. They arrived on the wrong day. She became her future self, and that probably means Piper and Phoebe became their future selves. She has a son. People know about Witches. Piper is in trouble.

"Actually Darryl," Prue says, "the last 10 years have slipped my mind."

Darryl expresses confusion, but after a moment or two, he mouths: A spell?

Prue nods. "I need to get out of here."

"You can leave any time," Darryl says. "You admitted yourself."

That comment sends her mind racing, adding another 20 questions to the pile. Why would she admit herself?

"Let's go," Prue says. "I need a cliff notes version of what happened to me."

"Not here," Darryl says in a quick whisper.

"I gathered," Prue says.

Darryl pushes a button near the door to call for the C.N.A. to let them out.

Prue looks to Warren, hesitates, but proceeds to pick him up. "Ready to go little man?"

"Yeah," Warren smiles broadly. He hugs her. "I missed you." He looks into her eyes, holding her face for a few seconds. He whispers into her right ear. "Wait until I show you what I can do."

Prue raises an eyebrow, suppressing a smile. She looks to Darryl. "Andy's son."

Darryl nods.

Warren has a smile just like his dad. It gives Prue the same warm feeling. But more questions came to mind: Where is Andy? Why isn't Warren with him?

"Warren Andrew Halliwell," Darryl says. " Warren, to honor the start of your family's line, and Andrew, to honor his father. The two of you asked me to be his Godfather."

"No better choice," Prue says. She smiles to herself. "Surprised I didn't have a girl. Didn't expect to have a boy. Didn't think it possible."

"Boys in the family did come as a surprise," Darryl says. "Piper's son shocked you all." He chuckles. He turns around, hearing footsteps approach the door, and faces a different C.N.A. when the door opens.

"Piper had a daughter though too," Darryl says.

Prue gazes at the back of him. She doesn't like how he sounded when he said those words. "Had?"

"What is it?" The C.N.A., whose nametag reads Oliver, grabs her attention.

"I'm leaving," Prue says. She has a determined look on her face. She has a feeling she won't like any of Darryl's answers to her many questions. She has a feeling she won't be prepared for the story he has to tell or what she'll learn. Regardless, time to go to work.

Prue walks past Darryl and pushes Oliver out of her way. "I'm done with this place."


	4. Part 4

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 4)

Graham appears in Phoebe's room in a flash of light. If they are to keep up appearances, they have to stick close to each other. Stray too far from each other, and it would mean the end for all four of them.

With his arrival, the maid and the servant immediately leave the room, shimmering and blinking respectively.

Phoebe has short auburn hair in curls. She's much thinner than she was before. She looks surprised to see him. She crawls out of bed, in manner he hasn't seen in years, and walks right up to him.

"Graham," Phoebe says, "am I glad to see you."

Phoebe sees herself in the full body mirror she notices to her right. "Look at me," she says. "Finally lost that baby fat. Look at my hair. I never thought red would look good on me. Hmmm, not bad."

Graham feels she is acting strange. "I delivered the newspaper to Prue," he says, walking up close behind her. Phoebe gets a little warm from his presence. "All we can do is hope it snaps her out of her present state."

Phoebe turns to him and steps back. There is something about the look in his eye and the expression on his face. She feels as though he might kiss her, and she feels as though she wouldn't mind if he did. She wants to kiss him too. The way he looks at her...But she's not here to live her future self's life. She's here to find the truth and save her sister.

"Graham," Phoebe says, "I'm not the Phoebe you know." Next, she speaks hurriedly. "My past self, along with my sisters, cast a spell, and now, apparently, we're ten years in the future, as our future selves."

Graham wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close. In a flash of light, they disappear. They reappear on Black Beach, near San Diego.

"You're serious," Graham says.

"Could you always do that? Phoebe questions, amazed by his ability to...flash. She decides this is what she'll call his method of teleportation.

"Ten years ago," Graham says, "not so much. This power was triggered by my want to escape a tragic turn of events." Phoebe watches as his gaze leaves her and focuses across the beach and out to sea.

"You don't want to know," Graham says grimly.

"Oh," Phoebe says, "but I really really do. That's why we cast the spell: to find out what went wrong and brought about this future. If we find that out, we can go back and prevent it."

"What makes you think you can?" Graham says. He has yet to look at her.

"A spell," Phoebe tells him, making him turn to look at her.

"In the Book of Shadows," Graham says. Phoebe is surprised he knows about it but obviously she and her sisters eventually told him about it. "Your future selves probably already used it."

Phoebe opens her mouth and quickly closes it. She and her sisters didn't think about that.

"Besides, you can't change the past," Graham says. "It could lead to a worst future."

"Or it could lead to a better one," Phoebe says. "Where is the Book of Shadows?" She can tell he wants to believe her. He doesn't say anything for a few moments. She grabs hold of both his hands. He looks down at their hands and looks back to her face.

"Prue hid it," Graham says. "I suspect she did so before she had herself committed."

"No," Phoebe says. "Prue? Commit herself?" Phoebe laughs. "The only way that would happen is if she ran into a problem she couldn't fix, and the only problem Prue Halliwell couldn't fix would have to involve death, hers or somebody else's."

Graham did not respond. Phoebe looked upon the grave expression on her face.

"Worse than that," Graham finally says.

Worst, Phoebe thinks, what could be worst than death?

_Mommy!_ Before Phoebe can ask Graham the question that's on her mind, she hears a voice. Phoebe looks around. _Mommy! Daddy!_

"Just tell me one thing," Phoebe says. "Did this happen because we failed to protect Whitney?"

"No," Graham says. He pulls his hands from hers. "This was because of me."

"What do you..." Phoebe steps back. She hears a young boy's voice again. His voice interrupts her. She watches Graham extend a hand toward her, but he returns it to his side. He looks as though he wants to explain himself, but he looks apprehensive. She wants him to explain himself, but that voice...

"Are you hearing a voice?" Graham asks, noticing the puzzled expression on her face.

"Yeah," Phoebe answers him in a whisper.

"Telepathy," Graham says. "One of the powers he gained through my family line. That voice? Our son Wills."

Another flash of light, a little boy, around the age of five, with sand colored skin, curly dishwater blond hair in a short ponytail, with a patch of white hair in the front, and hazel eyes, appears, resting on his father's shoulders.

"Phoebe," Graham says. "Meet Wills Victor Donahue-Halliwell."

Phoebe makes a strange sound and covers her mouth. "How? I mean, I know how, but how?"

"Mommy!" Wills shouts, super excited. "Daddy!" He punches a fist into the air, smiling.

"He's so cute," Phoebe says, but she's flipping out in her mind and heart. She turns away from them. She holds a hand to her heart and tries to breathe.

"A lot happened after you became Queen of the Underworld," Graham says, the tone of his voice somber.

She quickly turns back to him. "What?"

"You did it to help me," Graham says. "Whitney too."

Phoebe lets herself fall into the sand.

"I've already said too much," Graham says.

Another flash of light, and Wills is on Phoebe's back.

Phoebe looks at Wills. His smiling face looks into her face. She can tell he's a hyper one. He reminds her of her when she was a kid. She can't believe he's real. She can't believe she gets with Graham. She finally notices the rock on her hand, but her mind brings her back to the crazy part of all this: She's Queen of the fricking Underworld. Concentrate, she tells herself. Piper.

"Did Whitney become evil?" Phoebe asks. She's fishing, trying to decide if Whitney's defection started she and her sisters down this road.

"No," Graham says.

"And we..." Phoebe trails off. She glances at her rock.

"We fell in love despite the circumstances," Graham says.

Phoebe shakes her head because she realizes it's all too much, especially right now. She sees this as one of the reasons people wouldn't want to know their future. It's all too overwhelming. She holds onto Wills and stands up.

"You've got," Phoebe waves her finger at him. "We've got a lot to discuss." Graham smiles.

Wills giggles. "Mommy, you're acting silly. You never act silly. Daddy never smiles." He whispers in Phoebe's ear.

"For now," Phoebe says, "Take me to Prue, so we can save Piper. You and Whitney too."


	5. Part 5

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 5)

Leo walks down the prison hallway. He heads for Piper's cell. She is in solitary confinement. He walks down the prison hall but not as himself.

Piper stops crying. She realizes she has to stop crying to call the person who can help her at this moment. She knows her sisters are on their way, maybe even working with him to get her.

"Leo," she calls for him. "Leo!"

A slat on the cast iron door opens, pouring in light.

Piper turns her head until her eyes adjust to the invading light.

"Hello Piper," Leo says.

"Who are you?" Piper asks. A strange man stands before her. He looks familiar, but she can't place where she's seen his face.

"It's me," Leo says. "Freeze the prison." He says in a quick whisper.

Piper stares, and her eyes reveal her confusion. "Leo?"

"Yes," Leo says. He doesn't understand why Piper called for him earlier, why she's speaking his name now, and why she isn't following their routine. "Freeze the prison." He says in a harsh whisper. He notices a guard from the corner of his eye, heading toward him. The guard, one he has encountered before, is named Thompson, and Thompson recognizes him.

"Hey Mr. Pratt," Thompson greets him.

Leo nods in reply.

"I can't freeze the prison," Piper says. "First, my hands are tied. Second, I don't have that kind of range."

Leo turns his head to give Piper his attention. He's concerned now. He wonders if she cast a spell to spare herself what she'll face tonight. She wouldn't. She wouldn't go back on the plan. Not with so much at stake.

"Use your eyes," Leo mumbles under his breath. Thompson walks toward him, getting closer, to talk with him.

Leo's words make Piper pause for a moment. My eyes? She focuses.

"I'm not the Piper you know Leo," she says. "I'm from the past, 1999."

Leo immediately believes her. It makes sense: the way she is talking to him, the way she's not using their code words, but also the hard edge to her voice is gone. He remembers the last time Piper cried, and she hadn't cried since.

"Close your eyes," Leo tells her. "Concentrate. Picture the prison, the prisoners, the guards, the cameras. Focus on everything being quiet and still."

Piper closed her eyes. She opened them and blinked. The cameras in the corners of her cell freeze.

The guard Leo kept his eyes on goes still.

Leo orbs into Piper's cell. He pulls her to her feet. She lays her head on his chest.

"I'm so glad you're here," Piper says. "Relieved is more like it. The freeze won't last long. We have to go."

"Your powers have grown Piper," Leo says. "It'll last as long as you want it to last." He throws up an orb of light to cast light in the cell.

Leo's voice sounds cold or distant. Piper can't place her finger on it. Leo doesn't sound like the Leo she spoke with and joked with before she left her time.

"And you can't leave," Leo says.

Piper pulls away from him. His words both scare and confuse her.

She looks him in the eye. "Leo, what are you talking about?"

"I wish you remembered what you did," Leo says. "You would understand."

"None of this makes sense," Piper says. "I don't understand. Make me understand because I don't. Who are you, Mr. Pratt? How are you Mr. Pratt? What did I do?"

"Whitelighters have the ability to Glamour: to hide their identity, change one's appearance or form, when necessary to help their charges. I've been using it to come see you while you've been in prison. I'm Nathaniel Pratt, a man who lived in your neighborhood. He becomes the District Attorney of San Francisco. He prosecuted your case."

Leo is throwing a lot of information at her, but they are getting somewhere. "What case?" Piper asks. She feels he is trying to avoid answering the one question that would calm her. "What could I possibly have done to land me in here?"

"You killed a man," Leo tells her. "You used your power to kill a man."

"That's-," not possible, Piper wants to say, but the words don't come. "I couldn't..." No. She says in her head. She wants to say it out loud, but the look on Leo's face tells her it wouldn't change the truth.

"Nathaniel is using you for his platform to run for office," Leo explains. "To find Witches and have them register to prevent anything like you happening again."

Piper hears him, but he sounds more distant. She has to bring herself back. "Leo, you know me. I would never." Piper tears up for a moment, but she pulls herself together. "I don't even have the power to kill a man. What did I do, freeze him to death!"

"It's been 10 years," Leo says. "In that time, you gained a new power."

Piper realizes Leo wouldn't lie to her, especially about something like this. She kneels back down onto the mattress. The weight of her future self's actions on her shoulders, as if she had been the one to do it. She wants the story. She has to know why.

"Why did I do it?" Piper asks slowly with her headed lowered.

"We were married," Leo starts, a hint of happiness in his voice for a second, before it vanishes, "but you divorced me."

Piper raises her head and looks at him. "We got married?" Leo nods. She lowers her head.

"You and I, we forgot whose turn it was to pick up the kids from school. You were at work. I was with other charges."

"We have kids?" She raises her head a second time. Leo nods, but his expression tells her something that frightens her, causing her to lower her head again.

"Twins," Leo says. "Melinda Patricia Halliwell, the first girl in the family, and the surprise no one saw coming, a boy, Wyatt Matthew Halliwell."

Piper hears the joy in his voice, which makes her look up. He reveals a short smile but drops it. Piper keeps her eyes on him. It's coming. The part he can't handle. She can see it in his face.

"Wyatt orbed home, even though he knew using his powers was against the rules," Leo says. "Melinda decided to walk, so she wouldn't get in trouble. She was kidnapped. By the time Wyatt realized Melinda had never come home, she was gone. That man..." Leo struggles. "He..." The words fight to get out, but they hurt him. He's crying. "He did things to our little girl...And killed her. She was eight years old."

Piper cries, watching Leo fall apart. She has never seen him like this. His fists are clenched at his sides. He breaks from the Glamour, and the real Leo wipes tears from his face using his shirtsleeve. He tries to compose himself.

"You tracked him down," Leo finishes, "and you blew him up. His name was Hal Greene, and you killed him."

Piper gasps. She wants to doubt, but she can't ignore the truth.

"Someone saw you," Leo says. "Officers collected pieces of his flesh and confirmed the witness' story. That's how you ended up here."

Piper shakes her head in response. It's all too terrible.

"Innocents are being accused of Witchcraft," Leo says. "The government wants to find proof of Magic's existence. They want to experiment on real Witches. They want to find out what else might exist."

"I caused all this," Piper whispers.

"You were resigned to your fate," Leo says. "I tried to talk you out of it, but we came to agree your death would be for the Greater Good. You didn't regret your actions. We all understood. There is no definitive proof. You pled guilty to the murder, but without proof, no one can prove you're a Witch. If you don't save yourself, Nathaniel's platform will fail."

"My sisters," Piper says, rocking now. "They can't save me. I don't want this to happen to anyone else. You have to tell them." She doesn't look at him. She only gazes at the concrete floor.

"I will," Leo says. He Glamours back into Nathaniel Pratt and orbs onto the other side of the cast iron door.

"Leo?" Piper calls to him, sad and crying. She looks toward the door, seeing him through the slat.

"Yeah," he answers softly. His coldness has faded a bit. He feels closer.

"Were we happy?" Piper asks.

"We were," Leo answers.

"Why did I..." Piper trails off.

"You wanted a normal life," Leo tells her, "but I couldn't give it to you."

Leo knows he shouldn't say anything, but if there is a chance for them to get another chance he wanted her to know.

Piper closes her eyes and cries harder, unfreezing everything. Leo closes the slat and walks away.

Piper cries over Leo, her lost child, and herself, past and future. "This was the consequence." She says to herself under her breath. "We're supposed to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty."


	6. Part 6

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 6)

Whitney sits in a flowing black robe. In darkness, her form can be made out by dim torchlight. Her hair is ratty and streaked with white. She is in a cage, and outside of that cage there rests on a stand a large crystal ball.

A man with striking blue eyes appears behind the crystal ball, only his blue eyes visible in the darkness.

"That's done," he announces. "Who's next?"

Whitney glares at him.

"Whitney," he says. "When will you accept you lost? You had a choice. You chose love. Love is strength, I'll admit, but it is also weakness. Unfortunately, your love, for your brother and your friends, causes innocents around the world to suffer."

Whitney continues to glare, but tears well up in her eyes.

"Whitney," he says. "Show me the next paragons of good, so that we can kill them."

Whitney closes her eyes and a few tears fall.

She projects a young man's face onto the crystal ball, and the man with the striking, dangerous blue eyes disappears.

~!~

Prue signed her paperwork. Darryl agreed to keep watch over her. Prue's future self is still under surveillance until after Piper's execution. Darryl drove them from the facility. As he drove, he answered Prue's first question, why is Piper about to be executed. The answer was worst than Prue could have imagined.

"Melinda didn't have powers?" Prue asks. The more Prue learns about their future the more she wants to leave it to make changes to it.

"She did," Darryl answers. "She inherited a rare gift from Leo, as opposed to a power from the Warren Line. She had the Healing Touch. It wasn't a power that could help her in her circumstances."

"Melinda," Prue whispers. She holds the newspaper in her hands and looks upon Piper's picture. "Oh Piper. I can't believe I wasn't there for her." Her grip on the newspaper tightens. "Darryl, why wasn't I there for her!" The expression of grief on Prue's face shifts to anger. She's pissed at herself but mostly her future self.

Darryl doesn't look at her. He realizes this Prue hasn't lived his Prue's life. She doesn't have all the facts, the experiences that led his Prue to her stay in the facility. He prepares himself to tell her. At first, he's not sure what to say, but he starts.

"Prue," Darryl says, "you...broke." He glances at Prue and sees Prue is waiting for him to continue, waiting for an explanation. "You dedicated yourself to magic."

"I didn't accept the job," Prue cut in, saying this more for her benefit than for Darryl's.

"Magic became your job," Darryl says, not knowing what she meant. "It became your life. You're about winning Prue, you always have been, and the losses became too much for you: Graham, Andy, Whitney, Phoebe..."

Prue feels sick.

"After you did everything you could to bring Phoebe back from evil and failed, after you and Piper started losing innocents left and right, after Paige's death – Those were the final nails in your coffin."

A silence settles in the car, even Warren doesn't say a word. He senses the stress and tension. He can see it on Prue's face.

Prue thinks about the time Phoebe was possessed by the Shadow from the basement. She thinks about losing Andy again and how she wouldn't know if she could survive it a second time. But Paige...

"Who's Paige?" Prue asks.

"Right," Darryl says. "An innocent that became important to you and your sisters, which is why it was devastating to you when you lost her." Darryl feels some things should come in their own time. "The bottom line is you reached the point where you weren't in the position to help people." He stops a moment. "Now I'm worried about past Phoebe. If she became her future self, she's in trouble, considering she became Queen of the Underworld."

With this revelation, Prue had enough. "My future self might have lost her nerve, but I reject this future. Do you know where the Book of Shadows is?"

"You and Piper hid it when Phoebe left," Darryl answers. He sees the look on Prue's face, the one indicating you shouldn't mess with her. "And you might have hidden it again after Piper was taken into custody."

"If I hid it," Prue says, "I know where to find it. I'm going to fix this."

Darryl pulls in front of the manor.

"I'll take it from here Darryl," Prue says, unbuckling her seat belt.

She turns toward her son. He lost his dad and his mom. She never would've wanted that for him. "I'll see you soon little man."

Warren smiles broadly and nods. Prue kisses him on his cheek and ruffles his hair. She remembers she used to do the same to Andy when they were in high school.

She leaves the car and waves them off. She walks up onto the porch and gets the hide-a-key. She enters the manor, everything she's seen and heard on her mind, and reaches the sitting room when Phoebe coming down the stairs draws her attention.

~!~

"I can't go with you," Graham says. "To keep up appearances. Whitney's life depends on it."

"That's ok," Phoebe says. "Wait, no, that's not ok. You've got to tell me. I can't leave you without knowing. How was all this because of you? My rise to power, Whitney's situation, my sisters' futures – How?"

"They got a hold of me," Graham starts. "They had a Collector drain the knowledge of Whitney's location from my mind. She threatened to kill herself, but they threatened to torture me for eternity if she did. Whitney knew I was willing to die for her, but she made a deal: to come with my father if neither you three nor I were harmed."

"They set her up," Phoebe says."

"Yes, but she, you, and your sisters anticipated this," Graham says. "You three along with Andy took out most of my brothers, but my father killed Andy. Whitney had Leo take you three to safety, and you all almost lost him too in the process. My father and my remaining brothers forced Whitney to help them with the same threat if she didn't cooperate."

"Prue lost Andy again," Phoebe whispered.

"And if I didn't cooperate," Graham says, "they threatened to torture her for eternity. Make her beg for death. They locked her in a cage, where magic cannot enter and only her magic can exit, and forced the demonization of her power."

"This future sucks but it's not your fault," Phoebe says. "What happened next?"

"My father became the Source, and I devised a plan," Graham says. "It was the only way I knew I could ever save my sister and he would approve of my actions without getting suspicious."

"An uprising," Phoebe says, catching on.

"I told him I would save Whitney by becoming the next Source," Graham says. "And he knew I would. He knew I would do anything for Whitney."

"How did you know he would let you try to take him on?" Phoebe asked. Because by this point, she figured his father would have killed him, but clearly she didn't know the man.

"He took it as a challenge," Graham explains. "I came up with the plan because when one of my brother's captured me my father spoke with me. He told me I disappointed him the most out of all his sons, not because I took the side of Good, not because I refused to join him. In those respects, he was proud of me."

Graham's father is something else, Phoebe thinks. He is nothing like the Demons or Warlocks she and her sisters faced in the past. However, she recalls Brendan's brother, sacrificing himself for Brendan after all that time trying to bring him to the side of Evil.

"I disappointed him because I thought I was nothing like him," Graham continues. "He believes I am exactly like him. He believes I have the capability to act as he has and to surpass him. He waits for my corruption, for evil and power, to overtake me. He wants it. It's been a game of chess ever since."

Phoebe's role in this game of chess becomes clear. "We've been playing both sides." Graham nods. "Without my sisters' knowledge."

"They had to believe it," Graham says. "Although, when you decided to join me, neither of us counted on Prue's stubbornness."

"In the chaos," Phoebe says, "she and Piper-"

"And Paige," Graham adds.

"What?" Phoebe questions, not hearing him because she was trying to put together the pieces of this puzzle.

"Nothing," Graham says. "Continue." Graham realizes Phoebe shouldn't hear about that news, how she was replaced. It wasn't relevant.

Phoebe eyes him suspiciously. He interrupted her train of thought, but she gets back on track. "They were supposed to help us take down your father, but instead, they focused on trying to save me."

"And all the innocents being threatened due to Whitney's ability," Graham adds, indicating she is correct.

Phoebe feels bad for Whitney and Graham. She hugs Graham. "I'm sorry this happened. When I get back to my time, we'll make sure the future doesn't turn out this way." She can tell Graham appreciates the hug. He's tense, and he's been tense since she first encountered him in this time. She feels him stand at ease with her arms around him.

"Prue left the facility," Graham says. The tracking spell he cast on her gives him this information.

Phoebe pulls away. She gives Wills to Graham. "Send me to the manor." Phoebe says. "That's where she'll head. Take care of yourself and Wills. We'll set things right. I promise."

"Bye mommy," Wills says. He looks sad.

"Don't be sad," Phoebe says. She tickles him to make him laugh. He's ticklish in the same spots she is. "Bye sweetie."

"Be careful," Graham tells her. Phoebe sees his body is tense again.

"I live for this stuff," Phoebe says. She waves him off, waves him goodbye. This was to make him smile. He does. In a flash of light, he sends her to the manor. He hears her say, "See ya."

~!~

Phoebe finds herself in her old bedroom. She leaves her room and calls for Prue. When she receives no answer, she assumes Prue hasn't arrived yet, but she decides to check downstairs. Heading down the stairs, she sees Prue.

"I know how we're going to save our future," Phoebe tells her. Graham is the key.

"Good," Prue says, gesturing for Phoebe to follow her as she heads for the basement. "Because I know how we're going to save Piper and get home."


	7. Part 7

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 7)

Phoebe follows behind Prue, and Prue reminds her of a question she forgot to ask Graham. "I forgot to ask Graham how Piper ended up in prison." She says.

"Graham?" Prue questions as she walks through the dining room into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Phoebe says. "In the future, we're married and have a kid."

Prue stops right before she heads down into the basement. "You. Are. Kidding." She turns around and chuckles. "I never pictured you as the marrying type."

"I'm not," Phoebe says. "Not right now anyway. Our son is so cute though."

"You have a son?" Prue asks.

"Yeah," Phoebe says, "and he's like my mini me."

"So do I," Prue says. "Andy and I have a son together."

Phoebe grins. "Who knew we'd have boys."

"That's what I said," Prue says. "He looks just like Andy. But Andy..." She trails off, remembering his fate.

"I heard," Phoebe says. "Graham told me. Remember, we're going to change things."

"Darryl explained some of our history to me," Prue says. "I know why my future self entered herself into a mental institution and why Piper's future self has a date set for her execution."

"Why?" Phoebe asks, no longer wanting to be in the dark.

Prue shook her head. "If I hadn't already committed myself, this would have sent me there." She prepares her sister. "Piper had twins, a boy and girl."

Phoebe wants to smile about this, but she realizes if Prue has started her explanation this way, no good is going to come of it and no smile will be welcome.

"Her daughter was kidnapped," Prue says. "A man, a mortal, named Hal Greene kidnapped and killed her. Piper tracked him down and with a new power she gained blew him up. All that was left of him were pieces. An eyewitness' account gave her away."

Phoebe mouth is open. She stares speechless. No words would come. They share the silence. "We have to get to her, get back to our time, and make sure all this bad stuff doesn't happen. With every new thing I learn, it gets worst."

"I agree," Prue says.

"Why are you headed into the basement?" Phoebe asks. She doesn't believe going into the basement is their right next move.

"My future self hid the Book of Shadows," Prue says, "and I have an idea where." Prue descends the stairs. Phoebe proceeds to follow but hesitates. She remembers her last foray into the basement. She does continue, although slowly, until she catches the light of orbs from the corner of her eye. She turns around and uses this as an excuse to go back into the kitchen.

"Good to see you Phoebe," Leo says. "Good to see the old you."

"Leo?" Phoebe questions, confused about how he knows she's not from his present.

~!~

Prue fails to notice Phoebe has returned to the safety of the kitchen. She's on a mission. She scans the basement walls. When she was younger, she had a secret spot where she hid things from her sisters but mostly her Grams. Andy used to send her love notes, which were less love notes and more the creative writings of a horny 16 year-old who had a hot girlfriend. They were both erotic and comical. Prue smiles at the memories.

Prue finds the spot, no longer behind a shelf of old junk. She makes out the loose stone and uses her Telekinesis, channeling it through her hand, to pull it out. The block of stone comes out of the wall as dust, and the whole house rocks on its foundation. It surprises Prue.

"Prue!" Phoebe calls down the stairs for her. "Are you okay? That was a crazy tremor."

From what Prue can tell, her future self made extra room for the book. She pulls it out and heads upstairs. "I'm fine." She says, holding the book against her chest with her arms across it. It's gotten heavier. "That wasn't a tremor." She adds during her climb up the stairs. "That was me." She reaches the top step, and Leo is standing on the other side of the island.

"Future Leo," Prue says, laying the book on the island. "I trust Phoebe has caught you up."

"Not exactly," Leo says before Phoebe interrupts.

"What do you mean it was you?" Phoebe says, grabbing Prue's attention.

"Seems 10 years have been good to my powers," Prue says. She focuses. "Did you call him? Did you catch him up?"

"No," Phoebe says. "He came on his own, and he knows we're from the past because he's been to see Piper."

Prue faces Leo. "You have? How is she doing?"

"As well as can be expected," Leo says, and Prue doesn't like his words or the tone of his voice.

"He came to speak with us," Phoebe explains. "To relay a message from her."

"And the message?" Prue questions him.

Leo smiles briefly, his gaze, Phoebe and Prue believe, at that moment somewhere in his past. "I missed you two." He whispers these words, but Prue and Phoebe hear them.

Leo meets Prue's eyes, and from his expression she can tell he's back to business. "You can't save her." He says. "For the Greater Good, she has to die."

Prue glares at Leo, and the house shakes violently.

"Prue!" Phoebe exclaims, drawing her attention. Phoebe has to act or talk fast before Prue goes Carrie on Leo. "Leo, you can't honestly think we're going to leave her to die."

"You have to let her die," Leo says. "This isn't your time. Future Piper accepted her punishment, and your Piper does too. If you two save her, it'll prove the existence of Witches, and the mortal and magical communities will fall to ruin."

"What?" Phoebe asks. "How?"

"False accusations have innocent people in hiding as we speak," Leo says. "If the truth comes out, this will be the first burning at the stake of many."

"Modern day Witch Trials," Phoebe says.

"What do you expect us to do Leo?" Prue questions him. Phoebe and Leo can tell by the tone of her voice: the day Prue Halliwell lets a sister die will be the day hell freezes over.

"I remember the day you three left," Leo begins, wanting to ease them into his answer. " The Elders became aware of Phoebe's power of Premonition advancing."

"Advancing?" Phoebe throws her questions out before Leo can continue. "Do you mean when I was with Whitney and called a Premonition?"

"No," Leo answers her. "I mean the week before when you saw Graham for the first time. You received a Premonition when Graham became an innocent you needed to protect."

"I wondered how I received that Premonition," Phoebe says under her breath. "Nice to know I've made progress two weeks in a row."

"Leo," Prue says. "Continue." Phoebe mouths an apology to Prue.

"That alerted them to the fact you three were going to learn of what they were going to ask of you," Leo says. "Soon after, the Elders also became aware of the Premonition Phoebe called."

"Whenever I've had a Premonition," Phoebe says, "they've been able to see them?"

"Once you receive them," Leo explains, "the Elders can look over them, as if looking through an archive." Phoebe nods her understanding. "When they saw that Premonition, they wanted to help you find the cause of that future."

"Guess they were rattled by it too," Prue comments.

"They sent me to turn the book to two blank pages," Leo says. "They presumed with the help of your ancestors the three of you would find a way to discover that Premonition's significance."

"They presumed right," Phoebe says. "After all, we are The Charmed Ones."

"Use the To Go Back in Time spell," Leo says, more so to Prue. "That's what you should do." Leo hears something. "The people under my care and my charges need me." He gives his attention to Prue and Phoebe and says earnestly: "I hope you do manage to change our future. Goodbye." He orbs out.

Prue stares where he stood for a moment before she starts flipping through the book.

"Are we leaving?" Phoebe asks her.

"If we can," Prue answers. "The spell might require all three of us. Moving through time must require a lot of magic if The Elders didn't have a way to have us do it. If the two of us can use it, to save Piper and get home, we will."

"It was toward the back," Phoebe tells her.

Prue grabs a handful of pages and turns them. "Our future selves were busy." She says this, commenting on the new entries she passes as she flips pages. The next handful of pages leads her to a folded up piece of paper in between some pages. She pulls it out and opens it. It's the blueprints to the prison where Piper resides. "Apparently, my future self wasn't too out of it. She had a plan."

"We did," Phoebe says. She had flipped a few pages. "Look." She read through some of the new spells. She recognizes some of her own handwriting. She believes her future self must've finally clued in Prue to the plan her future self and Graham devised. Maybe.

"To Create A Door," Prue starts. "To get into the prison."

"To Stop Time," Phoebe adds. "Must've been to replicate Piper's power."

"To Create Money," Prue says. "Uh oh."

"To Conceal One's Identity," Phoebe says. "That's not to bad."

"To Bend Someone's Will," Prue tells her.

"Yikes," Phoebe replies.

"Were these a part of the plan?" Prue poses the question to Phoebe.

"Or did we start abusing magic?" Phoebe poses one in return. "My personal gain alarm is going off."

"None of our concern," Prue says. She renews her search for the To Go Back in Time spell. "Another mistake our future selves made. We'll learn from them and won't make the same mistakes." She and Phoebe search through the book twice, and they find neither the spell to take them back nor the spell that brought them there.

"Graham said this might happen," Phoebe says.

"What?" Prue asks, searching through the book a third time.

"Our future selves used the spells," Phoebe tells her. "That's why neither are here anymore. They could only be used once. They've already been used."

Prue slams the book shut and places her hands on the counter. She leans on it.

"But does that mean they went forward in time and failed to change the past?" Phoebe says, unsure. She starts to doubt they'll be able to make a difference.

Prue is in deep thought. "I don't think so." She says nothing for a minute. "Why did you say you knew how to save our future?"

"Because I think I know why our future turned out this way," Phoebe answers her.

"And how did you call your Premonition?" Prue asks.

"I tried to anchor my visions," Phoebe answers, "the images I usually see, to a question: What lies ahead for Whitney?" Only now does Phoebe realize that whatever Whitney did was for them, her family and friends, but it went wrong. Phoebe eyes Prue. "What are you thinking?"

Prue comes from her thoughts. "We have to see this through."

"You think that's why the spells aren't here," Phoebe says.

Prue nods. She goes back to the book and opens it.

Phoebe starts to work out Prue's train of thought instead of asking her because Prue has gone into focused mode. "What I saw is an alternate future if we don't learn from our mistakes. And you think we can't leave because there's something left we haven't learned."

"And we won't learn what that is unless we follow in the footsteps of our future selves and go through with their plan," Prue finishes for her.

"Looks like we're not headed home," Phoebe says. She watches Prue pull out the blueprint of the prison and go to a drawer to grab a pen and paper to write down a few of the spells they'll need. "I'm going to try something." She tells Prue.

Prue looks up from her writing. "What are you going to try?"

"Your powers have grown," Phoebe says. "Piper's probably have too. I'm going to try out what I can do. It might help."

"It might," Prue says. "Go for it."

Phoebe breathes, shakes her hands before she makes fists at her side, and says, "Piper" She calls a Premonition about her.

- Phoebe sees Piper. Piper is burning at the stake. Phoebe is present in her Premonition. She has become a part of it. She smells the gasoline that fuels the fire. The sweat on the back of the executioner's neck catches her eye. She hears the tick of the clock on the wall on the other side of the viewing glass. She reads it. The time of the execution is earlier than what she read on the news report. She sees Prue and herself, holding each other, crying along with Piper, and also watching as Piper burns. -

Phoebe comes out of it gasping for breath. Her future self might be use to these kinds of Premonitions, but she sure isn't. She feels like she's having a hot flash.

Prue is at her side in an instant. "You shouldn't have done it."

"No," Phoebe manages to say. "We've got to hurry." She gasps out, noticing the time on the microwave. "The execution has been moved to an earlier time, in about a half an hour."

"What did you see?" Prue asks her. Phoebe's reaction to her own Premonition and the expression on her face has Prue scared for once.

"I saw us," Phoebe says, "watching Piper die."

"I don't believe that," Prue says. "I can't believe that."

With a sorrowful expression on her face, Phoebe says, "Seeing is believing."


	8. Part 8

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 8)

When the slat opens long after Piper had eaten her last meal and she looks up and sees Nathaniel Pratt again, she knows it isn't Leo.

"Hello Ms. Halliwell," Nathaniel says. "It's time."

The door swings open. Two armed guards enter the room. They lift Piper from the mattress and place her on her feet. They walk her into the hallway.

A priest is beside Nathaniel. After he gives Piper the Last Rite, he leaves. Nathaniel walks down the hallway, and Piper and the guards follow him. Piper, with her head down, gazes at the floor.

"Wait," Nathaniel says after a short walk. The guards stop Piper. Piper continues to gaze at the floor. "I want you to know I understand why you took that man's life."

Piper raises her head. She notices her reflection to her left in bulletproof glass. Her hair is jet black, cut short in jagged layers. She looks pale and frail. She considers this the appearance of grief. This hadn't come about because of her stay in prison. She gives her attention to Nathaniel.

"I don't have children," Nathaniel says, "but after what he did to your daughter, any mother would have wanted to see him dead. However, you should've let the police handle it. You should've let him be brought to justice."

Piper says nothing. She knows he's right. She's going to die. There is nothing to say about it.

"If Witches have the power to do what you did," Nathaniel adds, "they have to be monitored. History has shown us power corrupts, and our country, the world, can't take the chance an Evil Witch might snap and do harm to those without powers."

This strikes a chord in Piper. Deep down. She remembers the people she has helped and the Evils she has stopped over the last year.

"If Evil Witches existed," Piper says, "don't you think Good Witches would always be there to stop them." Apparently, she surprises Nathaniel. She assumes her future self has never spoken. She accepts her fate because of her actions, but Good Witches, like her, exist for that reason. She never thought of that, and she is glad her significance as a Good Witch has become clear to her.

Nathaniel says nothing to Piper's statement. Piper believes because he knows if Witches do exist, Evils ones for that matter, Good ones have to exist as well, and he's probably debating with himself whether Good Witches would be able to do their duty, considering what else might exist, if they're under constant surveillance.

He nods, turns around, and the small group walks on.

When they reach the execution room, he stands outside the door beside it. One of Piper's guards steps forward and opens it. The second guard proceeds to walk her inside. Nathaniel stops them, her, again.

"What you say might be true," Nathaniel says, "but what is done in the dark, in secret, must come to the light."

Piper looks upon his face, wondering if he actually believes that's true wondering if she believes that's true. After a moment, she faces forward. She steps forward. The guard ahead of her leads her to the metal stake. The guard behind her turns her around when she reaches it. The first guard proceeds to chain her to the metal stake.

~!~

"Got everything?" Phoebe asks Prue.

"Yes," Prue answers her. "We better go. Pretty sure the house is under surveillance and if they find out either one of us was here when it rocked on its foundation..."

"They'll be taking us to Area 52?" Phoebe suggests.

"Yeah," Prue says. She grabs the car keys hanging beside the kitchen door leading outside.

"Good thing Piper's SUV is still here," Phoebe says.

The two of them climb into Piper's SUV. Prue drives off. Phoebe holds onto their materials: the prison blueprints, the paper with the spells written on it, and a pocket watch and a piece of chalk. Right as they turn the corner they notice the police pull up in front of the manor.

Doesn't take Prue and Phoebe long to get to the prison the way Prue drives. From the pocket watch, they're running out of time: 10 minutes and counting.

They park behind the back of the prison.

"This is where we should be," Phoebe says, looking over the blueprints.

"I'll use the To Stop Time spell," Prue says, reaching over and taking the paper with the spells on it from Phoebe's lap.

"We don't know the range or the duration of it," Phoebe says.

"Doesn't matter," Prue says.

Phoebe nods. She hands her the pocket watch. "You'll need this too."

Prue reads the spell. "Winds of time, gather 'round. Take my wings to slow my way. Halt me on my journey forward. Let this moment be delayed."

"Did it work? Phoebe asks, looking around for proof it did.

Prue watches the second hand stop on the 12. Phoebe sees a bird in the air, frozen in mid-flight.

"Yeah," Prue says. "Let's hurry. This will allow us to bypass security."

They leave Piper's SUV. They get to the tall metal fence. Prue, channeling her Telekinesis through her hands, tears it apart. She and Phoebe run to the prison wall.

"According to the blueprints," Phoebe says, reading over them, "there's a hallway here that should lead to her cell."

"Can you see if there's anyone on the other side of the wall?" Prue asks.

"I'll try," Phoebe says. She closes her eyes and concentrates.

- Phoebe sees them. She has become a part of the Premonition again. They run down the hallway. She follows them. They reach a cast iron door. She stops nearby them. "This is it. This is the one." She hears herself say. -

Phoebe comes out of it, and she takes a deep breath. "We're clear." She takes the chalk she has and draws a door with it. Phoebe reads the spell. "If you find your path is blocked, to make a way, knock."

Prue knocks twice. A door opens. They go through, and the door closes behind them. Prue stops Phoebe from moving, noticing a camera. She tears it down because she's unsure whether their To Stop Time spell worked inside the prison. They don't make it far down the hallway before two guards turn into the hallway and go left. The guards don't see Prue and Phoebe because Phoebe pulls Prue into a hallway to their right.

"You said the way was clear," Prue says in a harsh whisper, looking around the corner.

Phoebe is right underneath her also looking around the corner. "The future is always changing." She says in a harsh whisper right back. "When your tore the camera down, that could have changed things."

"The future is always changing," Prue says softly. "In the grand scheme of things, that's good news."

"Yep," Phoebe says softly.

"They're gone," Prue says. Phoebe looks over the blueprints. She gets them to the cell. "Cast iron door. This is the one."

Prue uses her Telekinesis to unlock it and open it. Piper isn't inside.

"We're too late," Phoebe says. She looks for the execution room on the blueprints. "I know where she is. Not far from here."

"You two," a male voice addresses them.

Prue and Phoebe turn to their left. The two guards from earlier have arrived.

"Hands up," the female guard commands. She aims a gun at Phoebe. The male guard aims a gun at Prue.

Prue channels her Telekinesis through her eyes. She pulls the guards' arms down, takes their guns and their walkie-talkies, and restricts their movements. Phoebe steps out the way, as Prue moves the guards and throws them into Piper's old cell, slamming the cast iron door shut and locking it.

"Nice work," Phoebe says impressed.

"Get us where we need to go," Prue says. "We don't have much time left."

"Right," Phoebe says. Phoebe runs. Prue runs.

They reach the door leading into the execution room. Prue channels her Telekinesis through her hands and throws it open. Phoebe follows her inside and closes the door behind them. The executioner starts to turn on the flames.

"Prue," Piper calls to her, raising her head after she heard the door open. "Phoebe!" She focuses, blinks, and freezes the whole prison again.

"How did you-" Phoebe begins to ask Piper how she froze the room, without her hands and with restraints.

"My eyes," She tells her. "You two have to leave."

"Not without you," Prue says. She proceeds to set Piper free.

"Stop!" Piper commands. It surprises Prue and Phoebe, but especially Prue.

"What are you talking about?" Prue asks, not understanding the reason for Piper's command.

Piper's eyes water. Tears fall. "You can't save me. I have to die."

"Piper," Phoebe says. "Piper." She's about to cry. "Do you hear yourself? You're talking crazy." She walks up to Piper and puts her hands on Piper's shoulders.

"My future self took a life," Piper says.

Prue walks up to them both and wraps an arm around Piper. "He deserved it. Do you know what he did to your daughter?"

"I do," Piper says, crying harder, "but our job, as Good Witches, is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty."

"We punish the guilty all the time," Phoebe tries to reason with her. "Demons, Warlocks."

"It's not the same Phoebe," Piper says. "You know it. Wrong thing, done for the right reason, is still the wrong thing. I did the wrong thing. I know that, and you guys have to know that too."

Prue starts to cry. "I can't let you go. We can't let you go."

"You have to let me go," Piper says. Prue wipes her tears from her eyes and lays her head on Piper's shoulder. She kisses her on the forehead. Phoebe hugs onto both of them. Prue pulls Phoebe away. Phoebe is crying, and Prue pulls her head into chest.

"This is what we were supposed to learn," Phoebe chokes out. "That's why we couldn't leave." Prue strokes her hair. "I know. I know." Prue looks upon Piper. Phoebe looks upon Piper.

"I love you guys," Piper says.

"We love you too," Prue and Phoebe say. They can't stop the tears from falling.

Piper closes her eyes and unfreezes the prison. The executioner turns the flames on. Piper cries. She feels the flames. She screams out in agony.


	9. Part 9

Charmed

Another Side, Another Story

II

Seeing is Believing

(Part 9)

Final Part

"We learned our lesson," Prue tells Phoebe. "The future Piper has to die, but not our Piper. Phoebe, repeat after me." Prue gets an idea.

Phoebe looks at her, not quite understanding.

"A time for everything," Prue starts, "and to everything its place. Return what has been moved through time and space." She remembers the spell To Return To Your Own Time.

"A time for everything," Phoebe says, catching on, "and to everything its place. Return what has been moved through time and space."

They look toward Piper, and they chant together: "A time for everything, and to everything its place. Return what has been moved through time and space."

Prue and Phoebe watch after their sister before the two of them disappear in swirling light.

~!~

Prue and Phoebe return to their present, arriving back in the attic holding onto each other.

"We're back," Phoebe says. "We made it back. How did you know that spell would work? The last time we used it required the Power of Three."

"I couldn't know," Prue says. " I just hoped, given how strong we were, it would."

"Do you think...?" Phoebe starts to ask about Piper, but Prue is a step ahead of her.

"Piper!" Prue calls out for her. She and Phoebe look toward the attic doorway, hoping to hear her answer. When they hear nothing, Prue heads for the door, Phoebe behind her, to search the house. Before they reach it, Piper steps into the doorway, placing a hand on the doorframe. Prue and Phoebe pull Piper into a hug.

"We're so happy you're okay," Phoebe says.

"Are you okay?" Prue asks.

"I felt the flames," Piper says quietly. "I was dying." No one says anything. "Can we go to my room? I want to lay down, but I want us to talk."

"We don't have to talk right now," Phoebe says.

"Yes we do," Piper says. "What we just went through requires a discussion."

Piper turns around and walks toward her room. Her sisters follow her. Piper lies across her bed. Prue sits in front of Piper on the edge of the bed and places a hand on Piper's hand. Phoebe sits behind Piper near her head against her headboard and strokes Piper's hair.

Piper breathes. "We can't ever use our magic to punish the guilty. That's what we should take from this."

"Agreed," Prue says.

"But that's not all," Phoebe says. "We can't abuse our magic. If we get into the habit of using our powers for personal gain, it'll have far-reaching consequences."

"We all have to find a balance for our lives as well," Prue says. "This is important, fundamental. Balancing magical and nonmagical aspects of our lives will keep us from getting worn down. It'll keep us together."

"It'll keep us sane," Piper adds. Prue nods.

"Our future's weren't all bad," Prue says, "but we have to make the good happen and prevent the bad."

"Do you know why that future happened?" Phoebe asks aloud. "Because we didn't see how important Graham is to all this too."

"How so?" Prue asks.

"When I got that Premonition about our futures," Phoebe says, "I asked what lies ahead for Whitney? Just as we were willing to go great lengths for Piper, she is willing to go great lengths for Graham."

"Think we should tell him?" Piper asks.

"His future?" Phoebe questions. "No." She shakes her head.

"But we should tell him to be more careful," Prue says. "And keep a closer eye on him."

Piper and Phoebe nod in agreement. They all share a silence, occupied with their thoughts.

"I'm going to leave Leo," Piper says, breaking the silence. "I'm going to take some time to clear my head. I'm going to talk to him."

"I'm going to take that new job," Prue says. "Phoebe, that'll mean you taking on a majority of the Wiccan duties for a while. Would you be okay with that?"

"Definitely," Phoebe says softly. She's a little shocked Prue would ask her to do this, but she's motivated to do it and make Prue proud of her. "After that power boost I had in the future, I'd appreciate doing a lot more practicing, but no rush. Seriously though, I see Graham and Whitney as our friends. After losing Andy, even though I know he came back, I don't want us to lose anymore friends."

"Yeah," Piper whispers, her eyes closed, drifting off to sleep.

Prue lies across the edge of the bed and closes her eyes, leaving her hand on Piper's hand.

Phoebe sets her head back on the headboard and closes her eyes, leaving a hand on Piper's shoulder.

The three of them go to sleep.

~!~

Prue sits at the kitchen table and makes a phone call on the cordless.

"Hello Alexis," Prue says.

"Hello Ms. Halliwell," Alexis says. "Good afternoon. How may I help you?"

"I wondered if you might relay a message to Mr. Vespucci for me," Prue says.

"I'll patch you through right away," Alexis says.

Prue begins to tell her she understands Mr. Vespucci is a busy man, so there is no need for her to patch her through, but Alexis puts her on hold and transfers her before she has the chance.

"Ms. Halliwell," Enzo says. He sounds excited. "You're calling with good news I hope."

"Alexis didn't need to take you from your busy schedule," Prue says. "I wanted to accept the job if it was still available."

"It's yours," Enzo says. "Can you come in tomorrow, look over some paperwork, give us a few signatures, and start?"

Prue smiles. "I can do that."

"Excellent," Enzo says. "Welcome to the family Ms. Halliwell. Until tomorrow, have a good day."

"You too," Prue says. They hang up.

Prue places the phone on the table and smiles.

Piper sits on the side of her bed. She's unsure about what she's about to do, but she feels it must be done. "Leo." She says softly, calling for him.

After a few moments, Leo orbs into the middle of the room. "Hey Piper." He smiles, but Piper has a brief flash to his future self, breaking down about their future daughter. She watches present Leo's smile fade.

"Do you have some free time?" Piper asks quietly.

"A little," Leo says. "Are you okay?" He goes and sits on his knee in front of her. He holds onto Piper's hands, which are resting in her lap.

"Do you know the three of us went into the future?" Piper asks. She can't look directly at him because she knows she'll start to cry.

"No," Leo answers, "but I knew that's what the Elders were hoping for."

"We went," Piper says. "It was amazing." She pauses. He lets her continue. "You and I were married and had two kids."

"We did?" Leo questions. She feels the soft squeeze of his hand, hears the smile in his voice.

Piper faces him and looks directly into his eyes. "And it was terrible. I divorced you, our daughter was brutally murdered, I killed the man responsible for her death, using a future power, and I burned at the stake because of it."

The smile he had been wearing vanishes. He climbs on the bed, sits behind her, and holds her.

Piper cries. "I love you Leo, but I need time to process this."

There is a brief silence.

"I understand," Leo says.

"Some time," Piper says. "I want to concentrate on my dreams and on Whitney and Graham."

"Take as much as you need," Leo says. "I'll always love you." He hears something. "I have to go."

Piper doesn't turn back to look at him. She simply nods.

"Goodbye," Leo says, kisses the back of her head, and orbs out.

Piper sits and holds herself.

Phoebe sits on the couch in the living room next door.

"Glad you guys are both here," Phoebe says. "Needed to speak with you both, especially you Graham. The Premonitions I had the other day," Phoebe starts.

Whitney finishes. "Was bad."

"Wasn't pleasant no," Phoebe says. "Graham, you should probably take an extended leave of absence from work."

"How bad was that Premonition?" Whitney asks.

"I'm not saying this to alarm you two," Phoebe says, "but we've learned you, Graham, are just as important to the future as Whitney."

"I love my job," Graham says in disbelief. "My patients."

He doesn't want to leave it, but Phoebe sees he understands she wouldn't tell him this if it didn't need to happen.

"Last week was proof," Phoebe tells Graham, "even though you have your Shielding power, your brother was still able to find you, and as a result Whitney. We need you to stick closer to home, so I can keep an eye on you." Graham meets her eye. "Both of you."

"What about your sisters?" Whitney asks.

"They'll be around too," Phoebe says, "but I'll probably more than likely be the on-call Witch." Whitney nods and smiles. Phoebe smiles along with her.

"If I'm the one putting Whitney's life in danger," Graham says, "I'm listening. I'll take the leave of absence. Although I do wonder if the Elders brought you three in because they knew I wouldn't be able to take care of her." He leans forward in his chair and rubs his fist, deep in thought.

"Not exactly," Phoebe says.

Whitney looks to Phoebe. "I should tell him." Phoebe nods in agreement. "I asked the Elders to send help not only to assist you but also to protect you. I don't want to lose anybody else, and I don't want you to die for me."

Graham looks to Whitney. He looks to Phoebe. Phoebe nods. He stands. Whitney stands. He gestures for her to come forward, and they hug. "You won't lose me." He tells her. They turn to Phoebe. Phoebe stands.

"Thanks Phoebe," Whitney says. "Tell your sisters we said thanks too."

"What are friends for," Phoebe says. This makes Whitney and Graham smile. "This isn't just a job for us." She gives her attention to Graham. "We're going to take down your brothers and your father." Whitney nods. Graham nods.

Phoebe turns and heads for the door.

"I'll walk you out," Graham says. He opens the door for Phoebe, and she steps out onto the porch.

"See ya," she says, turning away from him.

Phoebe reaches the manor and stands at the door. She sees Graham. He gives her a slight wave, and she sees it. She sees that look. It's the one future Graham gave her. He wants to be with her, and she believes she wants to be with him too. She gives him a slight wave in return.

All in due time, Phoebe says to herself and enters the manor.


End file.
